The Professional’s Choice

The Professional’s Choice

Take note of the gear carried by almost any on-duty officer and you’ll see that the officer probably carries a knife—either a pocketknife clipped in the pocket or a fixed blade attached to the belt.

AND WITH GOOD REASON

A knife is a key tool for any first responder. From cutting through seatbelts to free trapped victims to cutting rope, sometimes only a knife will do. And although knives won’t be your first choice for self-defense as long as you have your firearm, they do provide an extra measure of backup protection.

Some officers say they carry cheapie knives, in case they lose them. Others advise to buy the best one you can afford and take care of it. As you might expect, as a quality knife company, we come down on the buy-the-best side of the question.

QUALITY PERFORMS BETTER

Quality knives, like Zero Tolerance, feel solid, reliable. In knife making, that’s known as “fit and finish.” It means that every piece of the knife fits together precisely, no rattles or wobbles. It also means that that little piece of machinery in your hand works without a hitch. And that is precisely what professionals demand from their tools.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU CONSIDER IN YOUR DUTY KNIFE?

Flipper opening — Many Zero Tolerance knives have this feature, which makes it extremely easy to open the knife one-handed, with gloves or without.

KVT manual or assisted opening — Most Zero Tolerance knives feature our KVT ball-bearing opening system that works in conjunction with the flipper to enable quick, easy one-handed opening. Some Zero Tolerance knives feature a mechanical assisted opening system that provides an extra boost to move the blade out of the handle once you've overcome the built-in resistance of the system. Either way, these opening systems let you deploy your knife quickly, even in duty gloves.